Creamy Avocado Pesto Mac (Printable Version)

Tender pasta tossed with creamy avocado and basil pesto sauce. A vibrant, easy vegetarian twist on a classic favorite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz macaroni or short pasta
02 - 1 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Avocado Pesto Sauce

03 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
04 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
05 - 2 cloves garlic
06 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1/4 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant milk
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
14 - Cracked black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine avocados, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, milk, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional milk as needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour in the avocado pesto sauce and toss gently to coat all pasta. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and cracked black pepper if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamiest sauce imaginable without any heavy cream
  • Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent much longer
02 -
  • The sauce thickens quickly as it sits, so add pasta water generously
  • Lemon juice is non negotiable for keeping the avocado color bright
03 -
  • Blend the sauce while the pasta cooks to work efficiently
  • Leftovers are best eaten same day but can be revived with more liquid
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